Birds

The many different habitats on the reserve support a wide range of birds. We can always hear them singing away, whilst we're working outside. During the winter we put out feeders and a bird table which we can watch by a remote camera that transmits back to the telly in the classroom. In the spring time we often see birds getting ready for nesting as they become very busy collecting soft materials to line their nest with. We also have a lot of bird boxes around the reserve to encourage nesting. There is even one on the side of the Centre that has a camera in it so we can see what is going on. For a number of years we have had blue tits nesting there so we can watch them hatch, grow up and fly away!

Woodland birds - Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawks are one of the smaller birds of prey, with females being slightly bigger at 38cm and males being 30cm. An adult male has a bright grey back and finely barred red-brown tummy. The female is browner and duller than the male. The Sparrowhawk's favourite method of hunting is ambush, where they dart down into woodland clearings, terrifying and scattering small birds. They like to hunt in woods and generally catch and eat other birds which can range in size from blue tits to pigeons.

Woodpeckers

We are very lucky at Daws Hall as we get all three of the woodpeckers. The green woodpecker is often seen hopping along the ground looking for ants and their grubs. This is the largest of the three at around 32cm. The adult has a green back and a distinctive red crown, the male has a red moustache, but the female has a black one.
The greater spotted woodpecker is smaller at 23cm and is usually responsible for the 'drumming' of wood. Both males and females do this as a way of marking out their territory. The greater spotted woodpecker is mainly black and white, with red under the tail and large white shoulder patches. The male also has a red patch on the back of its head which the female lacks. This woodpecker is more of a woodland bird and lives in both coniferous and deciduous woodland.
The lesser spotted woodpecker is the rarest of the three and is only seen occasionally at Daws Hall. It is very similar in appearance to the greater spotted but it is a lot smaller, about the size of a sparrow (14.5cm). It too has black and white plumage but lacks the white shoulder patches and red under the tail, instead the males have red caps on their heads. This woodpecker can also be heard by the characteristic 'drumming'.

Greater spotted woodpecker

African visitors - Chiffchaff

Chiffchaffs begin to appear back at Daws Hall in March after staying in Africa to avoid the British winter. The adult birds have pale yellow bellies and greyish-green backs. The young birds are yellower and can be easily mistaken for willow warblers. The call of a chiffchaff is very distinctive with a high pitched 'chiff' and a lower 'chaff'. Chiffchaffs begin to head back to Africa in October

Garden warbler

This species also over winters in Africa and starts to make an appearance in April. These birds love to open woodlands, copses, thickets and area of bushy undergrowth, anywhere that it can breed undisturbed. Garden warblers are brown on their backs and buff underneath, and lack any distinctive markings. It has a very melodic song and despite its name is rarely seen in gardens. Again, this bird starts to head back to Africa in October.

Blackcap

Another bird that likes to visit Daws Hall during the summer is the blackcap, which starts to arrive from Africa in April. These birds are a slate grey with the males sporting a striking black cap and the females a deep brown one. Blackcaps like to live in woods, tall hedgerows and gardens with plenty of wild roses and brambles. It is often seen picking its way through the branches in search of caterpillars and flies. In September they begin to make their move back to Africa for the winter.

Waterside birds - Kingfisher

The kingfisher is one of the most brightly coloured and distinctive birds that can be seen at Daws Hall. It is a stockily built bird with an iridescent blue-green back and orange-chestnut front and cheeks. It also has a white throat and neck patch, red feet and a long dagger like bill. Kingfishers are extremely shy so it can be very hard to see one up close, usually you catch a glimpse of them in flight as a shiny blue-green blur. When they are hunting they often have a favourite perch where they can sit and watch the river. They like to eat small fish, tadpoles, insects and molluscs. Once it has caught a fish it bashes it against a branch and then swallows it whole head first so that its scales and fins lie flat.

Grey wagtail

These are present along rushing and tumbling streams, but at Daws Hall they are usually by the weir where the water flows over a small waterfall. Grey wagtails have grey backs, a yellow belly and a black throat. Their long tails also characteristically bob up and down constantly. They like the rapid running water of streams as their diet consists of midges, flies and water beetles.